Tom Ingram failed to register for Metro lobbying work for 'Nashville'

Ingram worked 'Nashville' deal behind the scenes

Jul. 23, 2013

Tom Ingram

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The Tennessean

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This story has been updated to clarify when the Ingram Group registered to lobby against the state tax that athletes must pay when they play in Tennessee, and who the firm listed as its clients on the issue.

Tom Ingram and another executive with his influential lobbying firm worked with Mayor Karl Dean’s office more than a month ago to put together an incentive package for the television show “Nashville” but didn’t register with the city as lobbyists at the time.

On June 24, Dean announced $500,000 in incentives, pending Metro Council approval, to keep the ABC drama filming here.

Dean spokeswoman Bonna Johnson said officials in the mayor’s office communicated with Ingram and fellow Ingram Group executive Sam Reed when negotiating the incentive deal. Ingram Group has long been the lobbyist for Gaylord Entertainment, now Ryman Hospitality Partners, which is one of the show’s executive producers.

The Metro code defines lobbying as communicating “directly or indirectly, with any official in the legislative branch or executive branch for pay or for any consideration, for the purpose of influencing any legislative action or administrative action.”

Last week, Reed and another Ingram Group lobbyist, Marcille Durham, registered with the city as representing Ryman. Ingram has not registered.

But government transparency expert Dick Williams, chairman of the nonprofit group Common Cause Tennessee, said Ingram and Reed should have registered with the city when it was negotiating, based on lobbying disclosure requirements.

Williams said the issue at a minimum warranted review by the Metro Clerk’s Office, which oversees the city’s lobbyist registration.

“We feel that since lobbyists are getting paid by certain interests, each of which has a right to be represented, ... that the public has a right to know,” Williams said.

Ingram Group registers

Reed said the Ingram Group registered last week after checking with the Metro Clerk’s Office, which told them registration is required for any bills being considered by Metro Council.

Reed said that early on in the process, he and Ingram were “gathering and sharing information” between the state, Metro and the production executives. “Now it’s reached a certain level of action — in this case both administratively and legislatively,” he said, noting that a Metro Council resolution on the “Nashville” show is expected to be introduced this week.

Williams, however, said discussions about the incentives with the mayor’s office would fall under influencing administrative action. “Having to wait for a bill would just be legislative action. Talking to the mayor’s office sounds like administrative action. So I think it would be included,” Williams said.

Ingram is one of the most politically influential figures in the state. He worked as an adviser and campaign aide to Gov. Bill Haslam.

Failure to sign up

Earlier this year, Ingram and Durham came under fire for failing to properly register as lobbyists at the state level. They worked for Hillsborough Resources Inc., which is looking to mine for coal on state-owned land.

Ingram and Durham ultimately registered for the coal company. The state Ethics Commission will consider at its Aug. 1 meeting what action if any to take against them for registering late.

Ingram, Durham and Reed also drew attention to the state lobbying registration law when they registered to lobby against the state jock tax that professional athletes must pay when they play in Tennessee.

The three Ingram Group lobbyists initially registered to represent the McGuiness Group, a Washington, D.C.-based lobbying shop as their client. Durham said the McGuiness Group, run by former U.S. Senate aide Kevin McGuiness, is the professional manager for the pro sports players associations. Initially, McGuiness was representing the National Hockey League players association, which opposed the jock tax.

The law requires that lobbyists only have to list their employers when they register, not whose specific interests they may be representing. After the basketball players association joined in to oppose the jock tax, it changed the way the Ingram Group was paid, Ingram said. The three Ingram Group lobbyists then registered with the state to represent both the basketball players association and the hockey players association.